A Fic About X2 Help me find another title
by Antisocial But Lonely 2
Summary: Jean Grey needs to be replaced! Is the thief Shadowcat what they need? Plz note when naming my OC, I dind't know Kitty Pryde was Shadowcat too. They are different! Nightcrawler/OC *spoilers!*
1. Chapter 1: Tyler's Mistakes

Tyler had never passed his fitness tests, probably because he never attempted to make the effort. He seemed to believe that if you have a job as a security guard at a museum, you have an excuse for being over 100kg.  
  
He was sure regretting it now.  
  
No matter how hard he tried, Tyler couldn't run very fast. Wheezing for breath and getting slower with each step, he saw his Godsend-the security booth was mere meters away.  
  
It wasn't Tyler's fault that he'd walked into Gallery 3 an hour early, but he probably wouldn't have wanted to if he'd known Shadowcat would be there.  
  
But nothing-not even 5 years training to be on the Police Force-could have ever prepared Tyler for this.  
  
As he neared the booth, he began to scream, "Gus! Gus! Help! It's Shadowcat!" Tyler staggered in and locked the door behind him. Between his gasping for air, he said, "Gus, we're safe now. I saw him! I saw Shadowcat with my own eyes! But you'll never believe this, he's-"  
  
Tyler realised for the first time the only sound in the room was coming from him. There was no sign of another living person in the room.which could only mean-  
  
Slowly, Tyler turned to look into the room. Gus' coffee mug was sitting next to the keyboard, steam wafting from the undisturbed liquid. His gaze drifted to the floor, heart suddenly stopping.  
  
He'd found Gus. But Tyler was too late.  
  
Gus was face down on the ground, a broken walkie-talkie next to him. The gunshot wounds in his back made it too apparent to cause of death.  
  
Tyler backed up against the wall and a wretched sob escaped his lips. He then realised that he hadn't seen anybody leave, so he'd locked himself in with-  
  
He heard a clicking near his ear, and he felt cold metal press up against his temple. Terrified, sweat began to roll down his face, mingling with the tears.  
  
"No, I didn't expect a challenge here." Shadowcat mused, gun held with a steady hand. "Congratulations-you're one of four who've seen me now."  
  
"But you've killed a lot more than four!" Tyler whispered, trembling violently.  
  
"True," Shadowcat replied calmly. "But I love the thrill of the spilt blood on the floor. Plus, I'm on orders."  
  
"Don't you ever feel guilty for what you've done?" He whispered, his fear giving way to anger.  
  
"Oh, not me. Never me. But I know someone who is quite willing to jump off a cliff to stop me." Startled, Tyler whirled around. He opened his mouth-  
  
And Shadowcat pulled the trigger. 


	2. Chapter 2: Nightcrawler's Phantom

Kurt Wagner's eyes flew open, only to find himself staring at the far wall of his room. He thought the wall looked rather odd-  
  
That's when he realised he was hanging off the edge of his bed, upside down. Not really wanting to get up yet, he stared out his window, watching a pigeon lazily strut along the floor outside. Although it looked like the roof to the mutant also known as Nightcrawler.  
  
He knew he was lucky. Not many people offer shelter to mutants, especially those that looked as strange as himself.  
  
Nobody, that was, except for mutants as kind and rich as Professor Charles Xavier. Having being assisted by Xavier's team of mutant fighters for humanity, the X-Men, Nightcrawler decided to prove his worth and became another of these X-Men. In return, he was allowed free room and board. He was even considering becoming a teacher, maybe in self-defence or religion-  
  
His thoughts of a better future were interrupted by a knock on his door.  
  
"Yes? Who's there?" He called softly, his German accent quite crisp against the resonating silence. The oak door swung open and Ororo Munroe poked her head in.  
  
"Good morning Nightcrawler. It looks like you had a good sleep." Storm chuckled as she observed her blue friend's confused look. Then, he realised what she meant and he grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Guten morgan, Frauline Storm. I hope you were had a fine evening as well." Nightcrawler tumbled headfirst off the bed and rolled to the floor. "What brings you here?" He asked politely, standing from the floor and taking a step towards his guest.  
  
"The Professor would like to meet all X-Men in his study. He says there's something very urgent, which needs attention. I was wondering if you'd want some company heading down that way?" Nightcrawler nodded his acknowledgment and said,  
  
"That is very kind of you, Frauline Storm. I need only grab my coat." And he did so, BAMPH!ing across the room, taking his coat from the chair next to the door and saying, "Shall we?" Storm could only smile at the slack use of his talents, and she followed him out the door.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
The walk to the study was about a 5 minute one, given the size of the building. Rowdy teenagers were rushing around, cheering and making all sorts of noise. Breakfast was over, and children had a full day ahead of them, it being a Sunday. As Nightcrawler finally made it to a quiet and empty corridor, he heard something different. Not a scream of joy, but rather one of terror. Stopping, he looked around, trying to find the voice's owner. Storm noticed he was lagging and turned.  
  
"Nightcrawler? Is everything alright?" He nodded and said,  
  
"Just my ears playing tricks. I thought I heard someone screaming."  
  
"Of course. Didn't you see what havok we just left behind?"  
  
"No.I mean, a frightened scream." Storm's eyes narrowed in thought.  
  
"Well, I didn't hear anything. Come on, the Professor is probably expecting us."  
  
He agreed and kept walking. Sure, just his ears playing tricks.  
  
But his ears had never been wrong before. 


	3. Chapter 3: Shadowcat Strikes Again

The Professor glanced at the paper he held in his hand again. It was getting serious, and he should have looked into it some time ago. Without even looking up, he knew Storm and Nightcrawler would be here shortly, coming to join Rogue, Bobby, Scott and himself, Charles Xavier. Storm opened the door and greeted the Professor, Nightcrawler doing the same.  
  
"Say, where's Logan?" Rogue asked, anxious to see her friend. Bobby squeezed her gloved hand tensely, not really liking Rogue's attention to the older and surlier male.  
  
"He felt like sleeping in today, but I've persuaded him to arrive." The Professor smirked quite knowingly and the door was shoved open by a cranky, hairy and tired man also known as Wolverine. In nothing but his jeans and a frown.  
  
"You and your damn powers." He grumbled as he pulled up a seat next to Scott. The one that Jean Grey used to occupy. It had been about a month since Jean's passing, and Scott and Logan were still wounded by her death. Once everyone was seated, only then did the Professor look up. His face was worried.  
  
"My thanks for full attendance. Iceman, Rogue, you're here because we need all hands on this case."  
  
"Magneto again?" Scott asked wearily.  
  
"I'm not sure. But we're in trouble even if he's not." Tossing the paper into the middle of the table for all to see, everyone bent in to read the front page:  
  
SHADOWCAT STRIKES AGAIN  
  
Once again, the notorious thief known only as Shadowcat has broken into a gallery and made off with millions in artefacts, leaving no living witnesses in his wake. Security guards Tyler Granger and Gus Mason were found in the security booth with bullet wounds in their bodies.  
  
It is unknown how Shadowcat entered the building, and many anti-mutant lobbyists insist this must be the work of a rogue mutant. Links between the robberies and the recent assassination attempt on the President are being estimated, given the well thought planning of the robberies.  
  
The Gallery has confirmed rumours Shadowcat threatened the break-in by a note attached to a rock being thrown through the Gallery curator's home window. A note was left behind with the bodies today stating that the Gallery of Fine Jewels would be the target tonight. All security is being heightened and the Gallery will be closed all day today.  
  
Nobody needed to read more. They didn't need to have the Professor's psychic ability to know what was happening next.  
  
"That's right. Even if this Shadowcat fellow is not a mutant, I think it would be in the best interest to check this out anyway. Shadowcat never bluffs with his threats, so I think we should wait for him tonight. In a way, I'm glad he's decided to strike so soon."  
  
"Can't you use Cerebro to track him down now?" Logan growled.  
  
"I've been trying for 2 weeks, however he doesn't show up as a mutant or a human. And that worries me greatly." Everyone suddenly started to go panicky. They weren't aware of what they were dealing with. "I would like at least Storm, Nightcrawler and Wolverine to investigate this case. Go down to the Gallery, wait for him to strike. But you must be very cautious. This thief is very murderous, as records from previous newspaper articles have shown. The only problem is, these robberies have been covered up for months, maybe even years. The robberies have become more frequent now, so we must act immediately." The Professor looked at Nightcrawler and Storm and said softly, "I'm counting on you." With that he nodded his farewell, and wheeled out to leave the X-men stunned, wondering about this new mission. 


	4. Chapter 4: Watch Where You Stand

Silence resonated in the cold night air, and all was still about the Gallery of Fine Jewels. Except for the fact there were at least 3 guards in every room, all of them paranoid, and scared for their lives. They all felt like running so they wouldn't see him, back to their families so he wouldn't bother them. But of course, they'd be fired. They'd just have to hope that they weren't Shadowcat's next victims.  
  
But the bad luck was to be bestowed on the guards in Gallery 7 first.  
  
The skylight above their heads allowed the silvery moonlight to flow through, casting eerie and macabre shadows across the displays. Shadowcat could have been in any of the dark puddles of shadow, but the guards talked to comfort themselves. Roy, Bob and Howard didn't know each other too well, and this was the best bonding they'd ever done. No one would have guessed Roy was gay, or that Howard was having troubles with his wife at home. But it didn't matter; they needed any distracting topics possible to keep them occupied. And besides, whom else could they tell? For all they knew one or even all of them might die tonight.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
As the guards talked in hushed whispers below, a figure crouched near the edge of the skylight, trying not to cast a shadow into the Gallery. This intruder had a plan sorted out, because the tables had turned, this time for the better. Having control again was a feeling Shadowcat never dreamed of. Sliding a remote control out of his belt, the thief's eyes narrowed in on the stocky lump resting on a skylight on the other side of the Gallery's roof. Completely unlike the pattern's of Shadowcat's past crimes. Just before midnight? Making a big racket with the break-in? But what did it matter anymore?  
  
"Watch where you stand."  
  
Shadowcat hit the detonator.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"What time is it?" Nightcrawler whispered, looking out of the tinted windows of the X Car once more. He was starting to get restless despite himself. "Easy, Nightcrawler, it's only 10 to." Storm replied casually, studying the motorbike across the road. It was illegally parked, and had been since the mutant duo had driven up at 9 o'clock. Storm had whittled it down to being the property of some guy who was a constant drinker, but just looking at the chrome, black and blue of the bike made her shiver. They didn't know what to expect, but they'd planned on entering the building at midnight. The crimes never occurred before midnight. So there were many reasons as to why the massive explosion scared all car occupants out of their wits.  
  
They both looked on in horror as a plume of black smoke began to splutter from the Gallery of Fine Jewels' roof. Nightcrawler couldn't wait anymore. Regardless of mutant involvement, chances were there would be some dead bodies lying around in there soon. So with a BAMPH! and a cloud of his own black plume, he vanished from the passenger seat. "Kurt!" Storm yelled. Scared that her friend was about to do something stupid, she threw open the car door and ran for the burning building.  
  
This was completely unlike Nightcrawler, to just go barging in. 


	5. Chapter 5: Don't Forget, The Thief Might...

Okay, a couple of A/Ns before I start writing this chapter. Someone mentioned having longer chapters, so I'll try that. Secondly, I've seen other writers try to write a German accent into the story, instead of just saying "In a German accent". Personally, I think only people who speak and understand German fluently can get away with this, henceforth, I never write in an acccent. Third, a language warning on this chapter. Enjoy.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As the explosion rocked the building, Roy, Bob and Howard all looked towards the other side of the Gallery. The yelling of the other guards was echoing down the otherwise deserted corridors. Roy bit down on his lip hard and Howard began to whisper his prayers, being Christian. Bob, being the physically strongest of the three, made a move to run off, and Roy yelled,

"Oy Bob! You can't leave us!"

"He's right, we have a job to do here-let the others handle Shadowcat as they will!"

"You two are bloody cowards!" You realise that that bastard has murdered over 20 security guards without so much as breaking a sweat! My sister in law was one of them, so I'll be damned if I'm gonna sit here on my ass doing zip!" It was with this final haughty sentence that Bob proceeded to head over to the other Gallery. As Roy and Howard watched him leave, they all had a funny feeling of being watched. Their eyes flicked around nervously, wondering if they too should leave. Suprisingly, they both did the same thing-walked towards the Gallery entrance, watching for intruders that would come through the entrance. 

It never occurred to them that Shadowcat wasn't in the building.

Yet.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Slowly easing a pane of glass out of its frame, Shadowcat tugged on his security rope, making sure it was tied fast around the chimney. He was light, even for his age, so breaking the rope was no issue. The thief had heard the guard run off. That meant that he might only have to kill two people at most. Slowly backing into the hole he'd made in the skylight, he silently lowered himself down. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Howard could have sworn he'd heard something, like heavy-duty metal cable. But that was ridiculous. Metal cable, pshaw, whatever. Shadowcat had already come in through the other side. But then, Howard cast his mind back to his previous training, and the one thing his instructor had enforced into them-

__

"Gallery thieves will try anything to get their greasy paws on what you guard. Never think anything is too outrageous for them to try. Don't forget-the thief might be a mutant."

Might be a mutant. Oh, God…

That's right, Howard. 

The last thing Howard remembered was hearing the mutant's voice in his head. He wanted to scream.

But then he felt something sharp pierce his neck.

And he fell to the ground.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Roy heard the thump next to him and screamed. Looking down at his feet, he screamed again, to see Howard was lying facedown on the ground, with a massive dart protruding from his neck. Roy wasn't aware of it, but this dart belonged to Shadowcat, and had pumped Howard's body full of a sleeping serum which acted on impact. Roy, positive his shiftmate was dead, continued to shriek until he suddenly found it very difficult to breathe. His screaming reign brought to an end, he simply fell to the floor, very much as unconscious as his friend.

"Do shut up please," Shadowcat hissed as he hit the ground. As much as he hadn't wanted to do that…the possession was still there, even if it was only a tiny bit. Checking the gallery, he noticed that he'd planned his entry position almost perfectly. Walking over to the nearest display case, Shadowcat found what he was looking for-a necklace all the way from Saudi Arabia, which had been called 'God's Blood'. A lot of people would have looked at the stone in it and said, "What an enormous ruby." But no, it was a garnet, thank you very much. This was the target, the last thing he'd ever steal. 

Just like the first time, he felt nervous. A tear of relief tracked down his face, but he was still worried. 

Anything could go wrong at this point.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Nightcrawler couldn't explain it. It was just a gut feeling he had. If he could stop this thief before he killed again, he'd be doing the right thing. The killer should pay for the suffering he'd caused. Really, he should. But then a niggling voice echoed inside his head:

__

Dear God, have mercy on my worthless soul.

The sobbing girl said this to him during lunch. A large crowd had been in the kitchen when Nightcrawler heard it. It was so sudden, and he hadn't heard anything before that, so of course, he'd accidentally dropped the bottle he was holding…unfortunately, it went all over Logan. If it hadn't have been for the Professor's reasoning, Nightcrawler would probably be lying on the floor in pretty little blue ribbons by now.

It was only now when Kurt thought about it that he realised something. What if this was what the thief thought every time he killed? 

Ever since Storm had given him the faith to teleport without having to see where he was going, he'd been doing it more often. Focusing all of his strength into the speed, he disappeared with a repeated succession of BAMF!s and he proceeded to infiltrate the Art Gallery.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

When Kurt arrived, he heard a few men shrieking.

"Idiots! You told me he'd be here!

"Sir, we swear, the bomb blast came from here!"

"Then it was obviously a set-up! What's the most valuable treasure we've got in here?"

"There's the Egyptian headdress's in Gallery 12, and the "God's Blood" in Gallery 7."

"Send 4 guys out to Gallery 7-it's smaller-and everyone else goes to 12. You got that?"

"Yessir." Kurt BAMF!ed away once more and arrived at a door marked 'Gallery 12'. Pushing the door open, he peeked in to find nothing. Shadowcat must be after that "God's Blood." Quickly pulling the door shut, he underestimated the amount of strength he'd need to open it and the Gallery sign fell off the door. This gave Kurt an idea. He teleported to Gallery 6, took the sign and teleported to the door to Gallery 7. It took a matter of seconds to swap the door signs, and once he was done, he opened the door and let himself in.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Shadowcat stared greedilly at the "God's Blood", relishing every tantalising second of this final heist. Rather eager to get out as quickly as possible, he smashed his fist through the glass case. He knew this would trigger the silent alarms, but hopefully he'd be out of there by the time the guards could investigate it. But as Shadowcat pocketed the looted booty, he heard a faint noise outside the door, similar to a BAMF! noise. Frowning, Shadowcat wondered what sort of guard technology it could be, but eventually dismissed it. Looking around the Gallery one final time, he noticed some shards of glass with his blood on it. Big no, no. The last thing he needed was his DNA on American files, so he collected the blood stained glass into a pile on the floor with his mind. The glass swirled into a grotesquely stunning tornado, which swept out through the roof.

That's when he heard the door click open. Time to go.

He grabbed the rope with both hands and tried to haul himself up, when he felt the "God's Blood" slipping out of his pocket. In his panic, he reached out for it with his good hand, leaving his injured one to cling to the rope. That hand gave out instantly. With a yelp, Shadowcat slipped off the rope, adding a new level of pain to his bleeding hand with the rope burn and the landing on his back. 

And that's when Nightcrawler ran in. Shadowcat was lying on the floor groaning in pain, and Nightcrawler skidded to a halt. Each person was unable to see the other clearly, so there was a bit of confusion.

"Shadowcat?" Without warning, Shadowcat vaulted off the floor and hurtled into the startled Kurt, slamming his head into a wall. Kurt retaliated by teleporting behind Shadowcat and grabbing him in a headlock.

"Don't make me hurt you, sir." Nightcrawler hissed. Shadowcat's answer to this was elbowing Kurt's stomach-hard-and fleeing back to the rope. With little effort, he jumped clear out of the skylight with one bound, turning as he went, and Kurt tried to catch his breath.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Once Shadowcat made it to the roof, he drew a shuddering gasp. BV had gotten him again! Damn him to hell! And just keeping him out was getting to be a huge energy drain. He'd have just enough energy to get back and present the boss with "God's Blood", and then, he'd need to rest. But being chased by some European guard who moved that damn quick would be a challenge.

BAMF!

Shadowcat was prepared this time, but when he spun around, he couldn't find his assailant.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

He attacked with a passion he never knew he possessed. Anything to stop Shadowcat. Tackling the rather willowy thief wasn't a problem. He was very light. Nightcrawler threw a couple of wild punches, and one landed on Shadowcat's face. But Nightcrawler felt his body go numb, and he suddenly found himself suspended in midair, being held up by a transparent force. Just like the one Jean had once used on him in the Boston church…

Shadowcat pulled himself off the ground, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Now that the moonlight was behind Nightcrawler instead of in front, he saw his features more clearly. His hair was rather long for a male, tied up tightly at the back and with sharply defined features. The curves of his body showed no evidence of physical strength. Shadowcat was swaying a bit, being weak and losing control. Shadowcat hadn't punched Nightcrawler; BV had. Slowly regaining any control he had, Shadowcat faced the victim of his enhanced psychic abilities and decided the end of the line wasn't worth it.

"Are you with the police?" He grunted gruffly. Nightcrawler tried to look the thief in the eye, but he was wearing shades. At night?

"N-no. Shadowcat, please, I need-"

"To apprehend me? Well, you don't have to worry about that. I didn't kill anyone tonight. And I'll never do that again." With round eyes, Nightcrawler stared in awe as Shadowcat shoved a hand into his pocket and suddenly, Nightcrawler hit the ground. At the same time, Shadowcat lobbed something glittering red towards Nightcrawler and it skidded in next to his tired body. "Be a saint, and put that back in the Gallery, mate?" This accent was different to the first one; lighter, and it wasn't American. It sounded British, but not British at the same time.

But Nightcrawler had no more time to think of Shadowcat, because he jumped off the roof.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I know this chapter was very jumpy in POVs, but I want you opinions anyway.

See y'all.


End file.
